Another wasted opportunity from the Scottish Government to provide clarity on the future of farming, as the sector gathered at AgriScot. Seven and a half years since the Brexit vote, after which it was clear we needed to devise our own farm policy, and we still only have an 'outline' agreement in the Agriculture Bill.

The industry needs key bits of detail to plan for the future. For example, what does the proposed biodiversity audit entail? Given that the Scottish Government announced that it would be in place by 2025, the industry needs to know soon, so plans such as crop rotations can be put in place.

Documents being circulated by civil servants to parliamentary committees already give a strong indication of the allocation of the rural budget. Will the Scottish Government provide clarity on the proportional split between the different payment tiers?

The full detail on the new rules for the future beef calf scheme needs to be published, as breeding decisions for suckler cows take a long time to bed in.

We are also in the dark about the extent to which Scottish farm rules will align with Europe, which is still the policy of the Scottish Government. How do Scottish objectives fit in with the ten objectives set out in Brussels? If we want to be in step with the EU, then enhanced payments on the first few hectares will likely be in the mix.

We need clarity that the increasing number of audits hitting farms are worth the paper they are written on. Where is all the information from soil samples, animal health and welfare plans, and carbon audits going to end up?

Is this information being carefully curated so Scottish agriculture can make the right decisions, or will it go into the same bin as the information gathered from the Beef Efficiency Scheme? This is before we know if the information will be accurately collected or end up just a box ticking exercise.

Then finally, if the bureaucratic hoops get too many, the industry will simply turn away from support schemes and get on with the job at hand. Small farmers and crofters will seriously be questioning the value of spending hours filling forms for modest reward. Larger farmers will be worried if the measures significantly restrict output, then business viability comes into questioned.

AgriScot was a golden opportunity for the Scottish Government to give answers to allow all types of farmers to invest and plan their businesses. But perhaps the answer is we should all convert to mushroom farming, as the government seems adamant about keeping us all in the dark.